ARCHIVED - Harper Government Takes Further Actions to Restore Balance in the Criminal Justice System
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Ottawa, Ontario, May 9, 2012 – Today, the Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Vic Toews, announced increased offender accountability measures to ensure the safety and security of victims and law-abiding Canadians come first, while criminals are held accountable for their actions.
“Our Government is committed to keeping our streets and communities safe. All too often, victims have told us they feel the criminals have all the rights. We've listened. And since taking office our Government has been working hard to restore balance to our criminal justice system,” said Minister Toews.
Minister Toews announced five new measures relating to increasing offender accountability, including:
- Increases to the amount inmates are charged for their room and board;
- Eliminating ‘incentive' pay for inmates working in CORCAN facilities;
- Streamlining and standardizing the purchase of inmate goods from outside suppliers;
- Transferring accountability for all institutional canteens to Inmate Committees; and
- Ensuring administrative costs associated with managing the inmate telephone system are charged to the inmate population. You use it – you pay for it.
“These measures are tangible steps forward to hold criminals to account and will save taxpayers over $10 million each year going forward,” said Minister Toews.
Minister Toews also expressed support for Roxanne James' Private Member's Bill C-293 – An Act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (vexatious complainants). The goal of the bill is to reduce vexatious complainants by preventing offenders from flooding Correctional Service of Canada's fair complaint system with meritless grievances.
To learn more about the Correctional Service of Canada, please visit www.csc-scc.gc.ca.
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